Swiss Court Jails Gambia Ex-minister for 20 years
By Boniface Ihiasota, USA
Former Gambian minister, Ousman Sonko has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Swiss court for crimes against humanity.
Sonko fled to Switzerland in 2016, shortly before Gambian President Yahya Jammeh was ousted from power amid allegations of electoral fraud and human rights abuses.
The Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona convicted Sonko of intentional homicide, torture, and false imprisonment, although he was acquitted of rape charges.
Sonko, the highest-ranking government official ever prosecuted under the principle of universal jurisdiction in Europe, can appeal the ruling.
The case, brought forward by non-governmental organizations, underscores Switzerland’s commitment to prosecuting individuals for crimes committed elsewhere.
Philip Grant, director of Trial International, hailed the verdict as a significant step in holding minister-level perpetrators accountable for their actions.
Swiss investigators conducted interviews with alleged victims and witnesses in The Gambia, where under Jammeh’s regime, widespread abuses, including forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, were documented.
Sonko, perceived as Jammeh’s right-hand man, fled to Switzerland and sought asylum in 2016, leading to his arrest in 2017.
Similar cases against former members of Jammeh’s regime are being pursued in Germany and the United States, highlighting international efforts to address past atrocities.
Despite The Gambia’s transitional justice process, human rights groups criticize its slow progress in addressing abuses committed under Jammeh’s rule.
